Rules of Engagement
by Ark Angel H F B
Summary: Summary: In the wake of her father's disappearance, with responsibilities bearing down, and trouble brewing in the Noxains political scene, Katarina tries to deals with the world changing around her as she leans on her father's training.


**Rules of Engagement**

**A/N: **This is just me kinda rambling out something...

**Rule 1: **All Is Fair

"Fair!? This isn't fair, your reach is greater, you're strong, you're faster as well! I'm never going to strike you." The young girl yelled in fustration, sweat and blood mixed and ran arm from a shallow cut on her shoulder. Her ankle was sore from her legs being kicked out from her twice already in the engagement. Her greatest ally, mobility, was suffering from the pain and her chest heaved as she tried in vain to take control of her breathing..

"Yes, Fair." The tall man moved forward his hand bringing forward the blade as he pressed the attack.

The young girl ducked, then rolled, then leap back out of the way trying her best to return a blow that would stifle the assault. With all her skill she could find no opening that allowed a safe strike. Out of desperation, finally she flung her dagger as her attacker lunged. To her horror the dagger was parried and the attacker, faster than she could see, a rough strike to her chest and a swift kick swept her legs from under her. As she landed she felt the blade at her neck, and a foot on her chest holding her in place.

"Rule One, All Is Fair. There has never in any combat been a fair fight. Some win, some lose, some die, and some live. In the end the only thing that maters is if you can at least crawl away, and they can not. What is really fair, is that nothing is fair. If you let yourself worry about what is and isn't fair you emotion will only get in the way." The man lifted his foot from the girl chest as sheathed his blade and turned walking away. "Now crawl away, clean up, and get ready for dinner." He paused motioning to a servant. "We will be dinning in the garden this evening, prepare it at once.

XXXxxxXXX

"You cheating... sneaking... whore... assassin..." The man dying words were spit out with malice, barely audible as they passed between lips covered in blood and through a woman's hand.

Katarina lifted herself from her knees cleaning her blade and hand on the mans shirt before turning to the tent flap as another man walked in. She had been sure to kill the lantern that burned when she first entered and knew in the resulting darkness of the unlit tent she was unseen.

"General, I thought I her you call? Is everything well?"

Her blade meet his neck as he called out to the general that he has come to check on. Katarina pulled making sure the man silently fell into the tent. She again cleaned her blade before moving out into the camp and off into the forest that surrounded it. _"One too old to fight, and one too blind... my kind of fair."_

XXXxxxXXX

"That was mine." The man said his gruff voice carrying the irritation his face showed.

"Was is right." Katarina laughed, mocking the man at the bar as she downed the drink she had stolen.

"Steal from me again Noxian and see how that goes!" The man said his hand resting on the muzzle of the strange gun the leaned against the bar.

Katarina turned with a scoff and walked out of the bar, the slight buzz from a few to many shots elevating her mood as she walked the large halls of the Institute of War. She made her way to her quarters where she locked the door and began the long process of removing her gear in preparation for cleaning both the gear and herself before bed.

"_The mission was perfect, the old Demacian General was an easy target, I've had few good mission since being assigned to the Institute. This target was from Father, he'll be pleased. Tomorrow I'll be back home with with Cass and Talon we can have a dinner in the garden..." _Katarina's mind rambled over memories as she smiled and dropped her belt of knives onto the table by the door.

The knock at the door gave her pause for a moment before she sighed taking hold of a dagger and she opened the door. "Fuck your drink graves... Talon?"

The man stood still his eyes darting down the hall in both direction always scanning for anyone that could over hear. "News from Noxus."

Katarina ducked out into the hall to see no one else in sight.

"The general has gone missing." Talon voice was steady but held anger in it.

"General? I completed my mission of course he has." Katarina's voice a low hush as she stared questioning.

"No, our general." Talon's voice kept steady. "Your father has gone missing, we have orders to return, we leave tomorrow." With that Talon turned hurrying down the hall and leaving Katarina standing wordless in the doorway.

Katarina closed the door, her hand slipping to cover her eyes as she tried to short through the buzz of the drinks and emotions that swirled in her head. She found herself muttering as she made her way to her bed, forgoing cleaning her weapons. "All is fair... there is no fair... be alright, just please be alright." Katarina flopped onto the bed begging for sleep to take her.

A/N: Welp this is nothing of great work. Just kinda a silly little drama peace I've been kicking around doing.


End file.
